Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-10-07
A VERY HIGH COMPLIMENT.

"A I'M hAuh SouI LlnLNls
The United States Mail is monthly
journal devoted to the interests of the
postal service, and is edited by John
H. Patterson, who has long made a
study of the postal system of the
country, and is familiar with and
thoroughly understands the working
of every department. His business
has given him thorough acquaintance
with the gentlemen who have acted as
postmaster general under the different
administrations for many years past,
and he has had close insight into the
work reformed by them, and the gen
eraI business methods which each has
pursued. His testimony therefore, in
regard to the management of the
postofiice department and all work
connected Herewith, is that of an eX-
pert, and is entitled to great weight
In the October number of his journal
Mr.. Patterson pays the following very
high compliment to VIM. F. Villas,
postmaster general, and Edwin f.
Bryant, attorney general for the post
office department., which is especially
gratifying to the friends of these two
eminent and worthy citizens of Wis
consin:
"THE NEW POSTAL LAWS AND REG
ULATIONS.
This great publication has at last
made its appearance, and to say that
it is a masterpiece of careful and ac-
curate compilation, is merely stating
the fact in the mildest terms. 1t is
beautifully printed in large, clear type,
and arranged in the best possible form.
1t is edited with conspicuous ability,
and the business of conducting the
postal system of the country is SO
clearly stated that no postmaster, who
has any comprehension, can 60 aStray
if he follows the instructions there
given. No man but a lawyer could
have prepared that book, as it bears
the impress of legal acumen, as well
as thorough knowledge of postal
law. The men who did it, however,
were too modest to permit their names
to appear as its editors and compilers,
and it is left to The United States
Mail to inform the world who they
were: VIM. F. Villas and Edwin f.
n
the Attorney-General for the Post
Office Department, both of whom are
profound lawyers and law writer's,
They were engaged upon it for months,
probably six or seven, and did the
most of the work after office hours at
their homes, seldom ever quitting it
until ten or eleven o'clock, and it was
no unusual thing for them to pore
over it until midnight. And what is
of still more credit to them, they were
never paid one dime for all their over
work. 1t was absolutely given gratuit-
Ously to the government. No law
writer would have performed the serv-
ice for less than $4,000, and yet these
men did it for the love of it. 1t makes
a volume of 597 pages, and they not
only prepared all the matter contained
in it, but read the proofs after it was
in type, and then never permitted their
names to appear upon its title pages
as its editors and compilerS! Who will
now say that we have not got not only
a modest man at the head of our postal
system, but one who earns his salary
ten times over?
The postal laws and regulations of
1879 were compiled by clerks in the
Postoilice Department. Key, lawyer
and judge, was the Postmaster Gen
eral, but he would not burden himself
with any labor of that kind, especially
after Office hours.
1t is entirely safe to say that VIM.
+, Villas is the brainiest man Who ever
filled the Office of Postmaster General.
and not only that but there is not
now, and never has been, an officer in
the postotlice department who is so
thoroughly informed in all the ramifi-
cations of our postal system as he.
He has made it study until he has
mastered it completely,
These observations are not made to
tickle the vanity of Mr.. Was, for he
has none to tickle. They are not made
with a view of getting any favors out
of him, for we have none to ask.
There is not thing on earth that we
know of that he could do for us that
we want done. We have no favors to
ask from him, nor from any man in
the postal service, except subscriptions
from postmasters. Our simple desire
is to do him justice in letting the world
know the conscientious work he has
performed for the government.